The Future: The Rewrite
by Paige Collins
Summary: You wake up to find out you have kids, you are married to a quick tempered wife and you don't know where your friends are. Sounds pretty scary, huh? That's what happens to Jake one rainy afternoon after being hit on the head... (This is a re-write from th


The Future: A Re-Write

By: Paige Collins

Authors Note: I never knew font size 16 was so big. I can't see it on my computer, but I got on the school's computer and whoa! Sorry! It's normal, if you haven't already noticed from my previous fifty something stories. Oh, yeah. Enjoy.

Ps. It has words switched up and the first part is a little switched around. I forgot Veronica's job, so I gave her one if she doesn't have one already.

Sorry Jake sounds like either Phoebe or Salamanca from Walk Two Moons. I've been reading that book and so my character sounds like that…

Oh, another note: Britney Spears doesn't actually have a daughter, Maria Spears. 

My name is Jake. Just Jake. No last name. Or any last name that I can tell you.

You may see me walking down the street, and think nothing of it. Then again, if I morph right on the street, you'd have different thoughts. But I'd _never _do that.

See my powers are very hush, hush.

Why? The Yeerks. A race of parasitic slugs. They want us. Not our money, our planet, our president –although they can take that him any day –they want our bodies. Our brains. Our mind.

They enter the brain through the ear. They squeeze through the ear, and into the brain, and flatten and squish into every little crack. 

They control you. They decide when you go to the potty, when you scratch an itch, they decide everything. Nothing is secret. They are basically part of you now.

But, a while back, I didn't know about any Yeerks. Then my friends and I took a short cut through an abandoned construction site. We saw a ship crash. The ship held Elfangor and he gave us the power to morph.

I'm the leader of the Animorphs, the name we gave ourselves. Actually, Marco came up with it.

Now we fight. That's not our whole life, we still hang out and do normal things. But the things we've done and seen; we'll never be the same again.

"Hello. Is anything in there?" I snapped out of my thoughts.

Marco was trying to get my attention. That's Marco. He's got this eternal amused expression all the time. Jokes are his life, mostly. He finds _anything _humorous.

He my best friend. I'm not as silly, and stupid as Marco is, but I'm still his friend. Don't get me wrong, Marco is very intelligent, but he gets on your nerves at times.

"Hello. Hello." A hand waved in front of my face.

"Huh?"

"I was trying to tell you something, but no. Jake has to go to La La Land."

I smiled as Marco went on to tell about something.

I wasn't paying attention.

I was watching the building.

We were in the older part of town. It has more crime, I believe. Why? It's perfect place for a drug dealer, a gang or a crazed killer to hang out.

The building we were walking past was old. The brick was old, it was old.

It was a large building, boards over windows, rats crawling in and out of slots in the base of it, just horrible. I can't remember what the building was for. But it was huge. Old, but huge.

My feet clanked on the sidewalk as thunder rumbled above. Rain. It was going to rain.

Low, distant thunder rumbled again. I looked up past the large, old buildings looming over, and saw into the gray and white sky.

Then something happened.

Something I won't forget.

Lightning.

A big bolt of it flashed across the sky.

Marco jumped back and said a word I won't repeat.

Then thunder and lightning flashed and rumbled as dark, forbidding clouds filled the sky.

It struck again, hitting something this time.

The building we were under.

It was a large explosion. Like a train coming right at you.

Sparks flew from the top of the building.

"Come on! Let's go!" Marco cried as we ran.

Then another thing happened.

Something far worse than the building being hit.

A piece of wood came sliding down, heading towards Marco.

"MARCO!" I ran. I had time.

He turned and I caught him, knocking him out of the way.

He was safe, but I wasn't.

The wood came smashing down on my head…

Beeep. Beeep. Beeeep.

My eyelids felt heavy. I turned over.

Beeep. Beeep. Beeep.

I snatched at the air, grabbing a clock. I pulled it down to the floor. It stopped.

"Honey…"

My eyes came open instantly.

I was staring at the ceiling. A white, pale ceiling with a gray fan going. Not my ceiling.

I sat up and looked around. This wasn't my room.

I didn't have a bed like this. I didn't have a fan on the ceiling. I had none of this.

I snatched the covers off.

A woman laughed.

I spun around. There, in my bed, was a pretty, young woman.

"How did you get in here?" She laughed again. I felt a shiver go up my spine.

"Jake. Jake. Jake," she said, getting up and leaving to the bathroom.

I put my hands to my head. _ Think, Jake. Think. Who is the woman? Where are you?_

I stumbled and reached my hand out. It grabbed a dresser. I pulled myself up and looked at it. There were pictures of the woman and some guy.

Some guy. I walked over to a small mirror lying on the floor. I picked it up.

I looked into the mirror.

"Oh, my goodness."

It wasn't my face staring back at me. It was the face of someone else. But I couldn't be someone else. She'd called me – "Jake! Jake!"

I looked up from my thoughts. "Whaaat?" I said.

"Can you bring me that ponytail that's on the night-stand?" the women asked.

"What ponytail?" I asked. I meant to ask, "Who are you?" but the words seemed to jumble together.

"You know, the blue one?"

"Yeah," I said, picking it up. I walked over and knocked on the door. A hand reached out and I dropped it in. 

"Jake," the woman said from in the bathroom. "Go see if Scotty or Rose are up."

__

Scotty and Rose? Who in the wide world was Scotty and Rose?

"Okay," I said in a squeaky voice.

I went down the hall. I looked for a boys' bedroom. _What if Scotty is a girl?_

Aha! A door with the words "Scotty's Room" scribbled a piece of blue construction paper hung from the left side. The tape was coming off.

I knocked on the door. "Scotty? You up?"

I didn't know what I was doing, but I went in anyway. 

The room was no bigger than our –my, the women's and mine –room. Except it wasn't as clean. Pictures lined the wall across from me.

People I didn't know.

One of them looked like Britney Spears faintly.

"Dad?" croaked a voice. "Hey."

I jumped a bit. The bed was across the side of the wall, on the left. A little boy with light brown hair and dark eyes sat there and looked at me. "Hey, isn't mom the one who wakes me up?"

I got nervous. "She's…she's in the bathroom."

The boy I could only guess was Scotty nodded.

"You need to get up," I said in the most parents like voice I could manage.

__

Parent? I thought.

I turned around from walking out of the room and saw Scotty get up and start getting dressed. "Oh and by the way, what's today?"

Scotty laughed. "It's Friday Dad. Duh."

I nodded and tried to laugh.

__

Oh… what am I going to do? Where am I?

I walked down the room and saw the door ajar to one room. I peeked in. A little girl was getting dressed. She was putting on her shoes.

"Rose," I whispered to myself.

I went back to our room and lay down on the bed and watched the ceiling fan go around a couple of times. Around and around and around and around and around…

"Jake?" the bathroom door opened. The women stood there, dressed. "You need to get dressed."

I nodded. "What's your name?"

She laughed. She smiled. "Getting old before your time, eh?" She laughed again. I found nothing funny about any of this. "I'm Veronica."

"Veronica." I tried out the name. My wife was named Veronica. I had children. I had a job. What kind of odd twisted fantasy was I living in? Who was Veronica anyway? I would never name my children Scotty or Rose. What was happening?

Was I nuts?

Maybe I was and this was a dream.

__

Wake up then Jake, whispered a voice.

__

"What's my job?" I asked.

"Doctor." Veronica looked down, occupied.

"DOCTOR?!" I cried. "I'm a DOCTOR?"

"Yeah," Veronica said, nodding. "Doctor. You really need to get dressed."

"But I'm a DOCTOR?" I said. "I can't be a doctor."

"Of course you can," Veronica said with a laugh. "You do it everyday." 

I rubbed my eyes. "Ugh. I'm not a doctor."

"Yes you are," Veronica argued. "Get dressed. You'll be late for work."

"How am I supposed to get to work?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "Drive, silly. Drive."

"DRIVE!" I cried. "I'm-just-a-kid-how-can-I-drive?"

"You take the key…really, Jake," she said. "You know how to drive."

She walked out of our room.

I had to drive? Could I drive?

"Maybe," I muttered as I walked into the bathroom and then got dressed.

I walked downstairs about five minutes after my rush job on dressing. I hadn't put on anything "doctor like." I wasn't going to work. I had to find out some stuff –now.

"Jake?" Veronica jumped up. "Why aren't you dressed for work?"

"Because I'm not," I said plainly. "Because I'm not."

"But…" Veronica said. "You have to go to work!"

"Why?" I asked. "I've got stuff to do."

"As your wife," Veronica said. "I command you to go to work."

"But you aren't the boss of me," I said.

"Yeah but the real one will fire you." Veronica sat down again. "What had gotten into you?"

"Nothing. Where is Cassie at?"

"_Cassie?_ Why do you want to know about _Cassie?_"

"Because I need to," I said. "Where does she live?"

"Jake." I looked at Veronica.

"Why didn't you marry Archie?" I asked as I walked outside.

"JAKE!" cried Veronica. "COME BACK! You haven't had breakfast yet!"

I didn't stop. I didn't come back. I wasn't hungry.

"But you need to eat something," Veronica cried. "Come back…"

I went to something –

"AWW!" I cried, pounding my fist on a green truck. I didn't have the keys.

"Veronica?" I asked, coming back inside. "Do you know where the keys are at?"

"No," she hissed. "I don't. Come and get something to eat. I made your favorite."

I looked at what was on our plates. Some blue stuff.

I nodded and sat down.

Veronica sat down too, looking satisfied as ever. "I'm glad everyone likes my cooking. I worked extra hard on it."

I nodded and dug around in my food. It was blue. 

"What is this stuff anyway?" I asked, twirling some around on my fork.

"It's a new type of food," Veronica said. "If you don't know. You should. You've seen the commercials."

"What commercials?" I asked, swishing some around on my plate. It was starting to turn greenish blue. I remember the time our teacher gave us these little dot like stickers. It was about a month ago. It could tell if we were tense, relaxed, thinking, very tense, very relaxed…whatever. It said I was very tense, which was black.

That's what my breakfast reminded me of. Little feeling telling dots.

But it made me sick to look at it.

"It's called Retne." Veronica ate some. "It's good. You like it. Eat it."

I looked at it. I most certainly _did not_ like it. It was gross looking.

I was brave though. I took a large fork of it and shoved it in my mouth. It was wet and squishy and it made me want to barf. I wiggled it around. It was like really wet Jello or something. I bit into it and chewed and swallowed it. It felt like a large slug going down. It was _disgusting _with a capital 'D.'

I instantly grabbed a glass full of what I hoped was water and chugged it. 

"EEWWW!" I said, pushing my plate back. "I like this stuff?"

"Yeah." Veronica looked down. "Why don't you like it? Is there something wrong with it? Did I fry it wrong?"

I felt like I'd puke. "Ugh."

"Kids? You guys like it?" Scotty and Rose were eating it. Veronica was eating it. What was wrong with these people?

"Are there any doughnut shops or something around?" I asked, drinking water to keep that rising lump in my throat down till I got some real food. "I need real food."

"Fine!" Veronica cried, standing up. "You don't like my cooking, fine!"

"I do," I said. "It taste good, actually." That wasn't a lie. It had a great taste to it. "It just feels gross in my mouth."

Veronica smiled and sat back down. "You get used to it after a while."

"Ah." I tried eating as much of it as I could manage. I pushed my almost empty plate back after I'd downed the worlds nastiest food. "I got work to go to."

Veronica smiled at me. "Cars keys are in the living room."

"Where?"

"Coffee table," Veronica answered, getting the kids ready to go to school. "The one by the couch."

I was already in there, looking.

"Here we go," I said, grabbing the keys that lay on the coffee table next to magazines. I picked them up and dropped them again.

I walked across the room to pick them up again when I noticed the pictures on the mantle above the fireplace. Pictures of someone that resembled me. Rachel. Marco. Cassie.

I felt a lump in my throat, only a different one. I felt tears in my eyes.

It was a picture of us all, standing there. Marco was looking solemn, but that goofy kind. Like he was forcing himself. Rachel was doing a peace sign and Cassie was grinning. I was in the picture with them, standing behind Cassie with my hands on her shoulders and I was laughing. A boy that looked like a future older teenager Tobias stood by Rachel, smiling. Ax was next to Marco, who was in front.

I didn't know who took the picture, I felt like I was going to cry. It brought back so many good memories.

Next to it, was a picture of Cassie. Written on the bottom of the photo was her handwriting.

It said, "Jake, you know I love you. We all do. I'm sorry things are like this. Love, Cassie."

I felt the lump rise higher. There were pictures of the woman named Veronica and I. Scotty and Rose were next to us and we were all smiling.

It was all-wrong. This lifetime was all wrong.

"Nothing is as it is supposed to be," I said quietly.

"Jake?!" cried Veronica. "Come on!"

I began to walk back, my eyes still on the old pictures of good old times and tears in my eyes and I went into the kitchen.

"Come on," Veronica said. "Did you get lost or something?"

"Maybe," I said distantly. "Come."

We all went outside. A green truck and small gray car was parked out there.

Veronica and the kids got into the gray one. I guess the green truck belonged to me. 

I piled in and sat there for a moment, the door open and all, and tried to think of how do you drive.

HONK, HONK! 

Veronica was honking the horn and waving at me. "Come on." She was mouthing.

I nodded and shut the door. I stared at the steering wheel and grabbed the key.

What was the first thing I had to do? Oh. Yeah. Put the key in.

I did that. "Now…"

I turned on the truck and began to back out. I hit a trash can and sent it flying down the street and landing in this lady's yard. Well.

I began to pull down the street and swerved to avoid hitting other people. I was dangerous behind the wheel.

"Look out world," I said dully. "Here comes Jake."

I took a too sharp turn and went flying down the road. What a rush! What a rush.

I was going to Cassie's old house.

I went down the road to her house and when it came into view, I sighed. Maybe she was there. Or maybe her family knew where she was.

When I parked in their driveway, I got out. I ran up and knocked on the door. There was a pause and a woman answered the door. It was Cassie's mom.

"Jake," she said. "What a surprise. What can I do for you?"

"Uh," I said. "Where is Cassie at?"

"Cassie?"

"Cassie."

"Cassie." She paused. "Cassie's over in Africa."

"Africa? Africa?" I cried. "Cassie is in Africa?"

Cassie's mom nodded.

"Thank you," I said and began to run back to my truck. "Bye!"

"Bye!" Cassie's mom waved as I drove off.

I drove as fast but as careful as I could possibly manage. 

Now I needed to know where Marco was.

I went to where Veronica had told me she was working. It was a school. Seventh grade, she taught.

Veronica was a teacher.

I went into the office and asked where Veronica was.

"Veronica?" the woman said. She smiled. "Mrs. Veronica is in her classroom. They're in the library."

Ah. Veronica was an English teacher. "The library?"

"Yes. I'll get her."

The woman pressed into the little thing.

"Mrs. Veronica?"

"Yes?"

"Your husband is here to see you. He needs you for a moment."

"Okay."

The woman looked at me. I smiled and sat down.

It took a second before Veronica came. 

She walked in there.

"Jake?" she asked. "Why aren't you at work?"

"I told you," I said. "I have things to do."

"Then what do you need me for?" Veronica asked.

"I need to know where some people are," I said. "Marco. Rachel."

Veronica sighed. "Marco is Marco. He still fights."

"Fights? The Yeerks?" I asked.

Veronica nodded. "They're still at it, duh, Jake. You know all of this. You know that Earth isn't being invading anymore. You know they are still a threat though. You know that you have to be called off to fight sometimes, my little Animorph. You know all this."

"Rachel? What's Rachel do for work?" I asked.

Veronica was looking annoyed. "She's a fashion designer."

"Tobias? Ax?"

"Ax fights. Tobias is a writer. Anything else?"

"Nothing. Bye."

I ran out and into my truck. Marco still fought. Where was his house at?

I started my truck up and pulled out from the school.

Marco was the target now. Find Marco.

I began to drive a bit when suddenly, a large car pulled in front of me. It was a large car, longer than many cars and it pulled in front of me.

"HEY!" I cried, trying to stop. Too late.

I crashed into it and we both were knocked off the road. My truck wasn't damaged much and the large car had a little bump in it.

I got out of my truck and marched over. I knocked on the window.

The dark, tinted window rolled down. A face stared at me.

A face I knew A face that was my best friend.

"Marco?" I said.

He was old as me. His hair was shorter now. He looked taller.

"_Jake?_" He said it like he didn't believe it. "Whaaa…what are you doing out here?"

"I've been trying to find you," I said. 

Marco snapped his fingers. "Jenson, circle."

Marco climbed out as his large car whizzed down the road.

"Now," Marco said. "You wanted to find me?"

"Yeah. Something's up," I said.

"Really." Marco looked down. "Something is up. Remember, you and I aren't friends anymore."

"Not friends?" I felt like I had been slapped in the face. Marco wasn't my best friend anymore? He didn't want to be friends? That was like giving up my life. Marco and I had been best friends for like, forever. No way we couldn't be friends anymore. That wasn't even an option. Cassie, now Marco…what next? Rachel didn't want to be cousins anymore? No, that was stupid. 

"Yeah. We got into a fight years ago, don't you remember?" Marco said.

"Marco, I'm not even me anymore," I said. "I mean, I don't belong here. I'm not Jake. I mean, I am Jake, but I'm not. I'm not as old as he is. I'm younger than this. I'm not thirty or something –"

"You're twenty-five," Marco said in a know it all voice. "You were 18 when you and Veronica married. Veronica was your age when she had Scotty, 18. Both of you had just turned 18. Don't your remember…?"

"Marco," I said. "I'm supposed to be here. I'm not an adult. I'm still just a kid."

Marco sighed. "Aren't we all?"

"Marco."

"Jake."

"Marco," I said. "Listen to me. I'm not who am I supposed to be. I mean, one minute you and I are walking down the street and then boom! I'm here."

"Jake," Marco said. "Have you been drinking?"

I formed my mouth in a small thin line. Even though Marco was only kidding, it still made me mad. "No, Marco."

"Oh," Marco said. "Here's my ride. See you later, ex-best friend."

"I thought we had this fight years ago!" I cried.

"We did. But I just never forgave you. Bye now."

The car pulled back onto the street and I watched it disappear down the street.

"Awww…" I said. "He was no help. At all."

I got back into my truck and started it up again. I drove away and stopped at the store to get a Coke. Yeah. We still had Coke.

It was four when I got home.

I'd been to Rachel's and Tobias's. Married. They had children. An annoying little blonde girl who got everything she wanted. It was obvious she took after Rachel. They had a older boy, a bit younger than Scotty. He took after Tobias.

Rachel told me we weren't close anymore. Not like we were really close when we were kids, just that I hadn't talked to her in years. Twice since our last years as Animorphs.

I found out I could still morph. At least that was one good thing about all this futureness of everything. I could still turn into a bird and soar high above the clouds.

When I got in, Veronica was parking. Scotty got out and ran inside. Rose took her time to hug me and ran inside.

Veronica came up to me. "Come on."

"Come on what?" I asked.

She laughed. "What? Have you forgotten? We're going somewhere tonight."

I looked at her as we entered the kitchen. "Going where?"

"Spend the night down by the beach. Go out for dinner. This is all you and the kids have been talking about for weeks."

I sighed. There. At least some fun.

"Hey," I said as we climbed the stairs and went into our room to pack. "Whatever happened to Tom?"

"Tom? Tom lives down the street," Veronica said, taking out a suitcase. She began to pack our clothes in. "Don't tell me. You forgot."

"No, I just didn't know," I said. "Spending the night?"

"Yep. A place along the ocean. Won't it be fun? And we're all going out tonight for seafood."

I nodded. I wasn't in the mood to go anywhere, but hey, they'd been looking forwards to it. I had supposedly been looking forward to it.

"I'm all packed!" cried Scotty.

"ME TOOOOO!" screamed Rose suddenly. "I was packed before you!"

"Nuh-uh! I was." 

"Hey," Veronica said. "You were both packed."

"HAH!"

"HAH yourself."

Veronica smiled. "Kids," she said.

"Yeah. Kids."

Veronica finished packing. She walked downstairs and I followed.

"Ready guys?" Veronica asked. 

Scotty and Rose nodded.

I smiled in the happiest way I could, which wasn't very happy.

On the road.

Yep, yep, yep. On the road.

The trip to heck more like it. 

"Rose," Veronica said. "Keep your hands to yourself. You too, Scotty."

"Mooooom!" Scotty said. "Rose keeps rubbing her Barbies on me!"

"Roooose," Veronica said. "Keep your _Barbies_ to yourself."

"I am not rubbing my Barbies on him. Just the my Barbies happen to touch him."

I looked into the mirror to a very stylish Barbie being waved in Scotty's face. "She wants a hug! She dumped Ken just to be with you."

"Well, I don't want to be with her," Scotty said, holding a book in front of his face. "She's a giiiiirl."

"There is nothing wrong with being a girl," Rose said defensively. "Being a girl is better than being a boy. Ken doesn't agree and neither does Barbie, since she likes Ken and all."

I smiled. I turned to Veronica. I was doing the driving. I'd gotten the hang of it. "Kids," I said.

Veronica smiled back.

I snapped out of it. _You like Cassie, not this comic book witch._

"Teresa," Rose said. "I _love_ what you did with your hair. What's that? Jim styled it? How creative. I must get him to style my hair someday."

"Jim" was Rose's other Ken, besides Ken.

"Mommy," Rose said. "Linda wanted to go out with Jim, but her boyfriend is Ken."

"Why is Barbie named Linda?" I heard Scotty ask.

"Because," Rose snapped. "Whoever heard of a Barbie named Barbie? It's not even heard of."

She went back to her game.

"But you went out with Jim? While I was out of town? How dare you? How dare YOU?!"

"I'm…I'm sorry," Linda said. "I didn't mean to. I hate Ken!"

"What?" Ken cried. "You _hate me?_ How horrible. I love you Linda."

"I love you to Kennnnn! I'm sorry I said those things. I didn't mean to."

"That's okay Linda. Let's sing…I'm a Barbie girl…"

"The end," Rose announced. 

I watched them in the mirror briefly. "Heyyyyyyy, Rose?"

"Hmmm?" Rose said, occupied by Barbie. She was brushing her hair.

"Can I play?"

Rose gasped. "I thought you'd never ask. You be Jim and Teresa."

Scotty nodded.

I went back to driving.

"Oooh," Linda said. "It's _such_ a nice day to be out. Don't you agree, Ken?"

"I sure do, Linda," Ken said. "The birds are singing…Oh, look! Here comes our two friends, Teresa and Jim!"

"Hi Teresa, hi Jim," Linda said brightly. "Isn't it a lovely day?"

"Nothing is lovely," Teresa said quickly.

"Everything is lovely," Jim said.

"It is not!"

"Shut up!" Jim cried.

"You shut up! I hate youuuuuuu! I'm going home!"

"Fine. I hope a dog eats your head off," Jim cried. "And make that dog a poodle!"

"Teresa runs off crying," Scotty explained like a narrator. "It's so…so…" He sniffed. "So dreadfully sad."

"What?" Jim said. "What are you staring at?"

"Nothing," Linda said. "That was mean."

"Well, she deserved it," Jim said. "She's being a such a butt all the time."

"I agree," Ken said. "A major butt."

"Hey," Jim said. "Where is Linda?"

"I'm going to find Teresa and say sorry," Linda said.

"We're almost there," Veronica interrupted.

"Do they have a pool?" Rose asked. 

"Sure do," Veronica said.

"Wow. Linda and Teresa wanted to show off their new bikinis."

"Ewwww," Scotty said. "Who wants to see Linda or Teresa in their bikinis?"

"Ken and Jim do," Rose said. "They've made up with their girls."

"Uh-huh," Scotty said.

We neared the water. We rode along the beach, trying to find a place to stay.

"Oh," Veronica said. "How about that one?"

I pulled in.

"I want a room with a balcony," Rose said. "Uhhhhh! Mommmmmy!"

"Okay, Rose," Veronica said impatiently. "Okaaaay."

We got a room.

"The stairs are too narrow," Scotty said as we got out our bags. "It's scary."

"_You're_ afraid of stairs?" Rose giggled.

"No," Scotty said. "I'm afraid of heights."

"Ah," I said. "Lot's of people are."

"I don't want the balcony," Scotty said. "What if I fall off?"

We neared the stairs.

"What if _you_ fall off?" Rose said. "What if one of my Barbies fall off?"

"Who cares about your Barbies? I hope Linda does, if any of them," Scotty said, hugging the railing as we went up. "She's preppy and annoying."

"I agree," Rose said as we went in. "I'm thought about leaving her at home."

"Here we go," Veronica announced. "Tada!"

We looked around. Scotty and Rose ran to the other side of the room. There was a table, two chairs, a table with a mini fridge on it, two big beds, a TV, a bathroom, a closet, and a…

"Balcony!" Rose cried, running out the door. "Wow!"

"Wow…yeah…" Scotty said. "It's high upppppp."

"Who cares?" Rose said. I went out on the balcony. It overlooked the ocean. It was beautiful. There were several chairs and a bench out there already.

"Uhhhh," Scotty said. "I'm scared."

"Aw," Veronica said. "I thought you were my little man."

"I am," Scotty said, peering over the balcony. "I'm just scared a little bit, that's all."

"Oh, well," Rose snapped, waving her hand. "I'm going to see what's on TV."

She went inside, followed by Scotty. It was Veronica and I–all alone.

I gulped and looked out across the street. The sun was starting to set. The glistening water of the beach washed against the shore. The sky was a weird color and everything was perfect and romantic on top the carpeted two story high balcony.

"Ahhhh," I heard Veronica sigh. "Is this the life or what?"

"MOMMY!" cried Rose, running out. "Can we get in the pool?"

Veronica and I exchanged parental glances. "All right," Veronica sighed. "We'll all go."

"Yeah!" Rose ran inside. "Ken and Jim _can't_ wait to see Linda and Teresa in their bathing suits."

"Ew," Scotty said. "You are bringing _them?_"

"Yes," Rose snapped. "I am most certainly bringing them."

"Why?" Scotty asked, going into the bathroom. "They'll get wet and they'll sink."

"Have you no sense?" Rose said. "Barbies float."

"Oh."

Scotty changed, and then Rose did.

"Oooh!" Rose cried. "I'm going to steal a soap!"

Veronica went in and then I did.

"All set?" I heard Veronica say as I stepped out. Rose had all four Barbies tucked neatly under her arm, smiling. Scotty was making a face at her, but smiling anyway. "Cool. Maybe one of the Barbies will drown."

"Barbie float you idiot!" Rose cried. "Besides, they all know how to swim."

"Barbies aren't alive," Scotty said.

"Hey," I said. "Come on. Let's get going."

We hurried (ever so slowly) down the small carpeted steps with Veronica asking, "Are you sure this pool goes with this place?"

We walked across the small strip of street and opened the gate.

"WaHOOOOO!" Scotty cried. "CANNONBAAAAALL!"

Scotty cannonballed into the pool, splashing us all. Rose calmly sat on the steps and undressed herself and the Barbies.

"It's a fine day to go swimming," Rose said in her best deep male voice. "It's lovely. Pure lovely."

"Here comes the shark!" Scotty cried, going under.

"Huh?" Rose asked, puzzled.

"RRRAAAAARRRR!"

"AHHHHHH! You almost killed Jim!"

"I did not kill Jim. Jim happen to be in the way."

"Humph." Rose ignored Scotty and went back to her game. Something about a "mean old shark."

I smiled. "Kids, huh?"

Veronica looked surprised for a moment. Then smiled back. "Yeah." But it wasn't a genuine smile.

"It's great here," I said. "Can't believe I forgot it."

"You're over worked, dear," Veronica said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You should rest, take some time off. We've been planning this for while."

I nodded. "Wanna swim?"

Veronica nodded. "Sounds good to me."

She and I dived in.

The water was cold. Not like really icy cold. Like cool cold. It was shocking for a moment, but then peaceful. I didn't know where I was for a moment then I realized it. _Duh, Jake. You're underwater._

I surfaced.

"Hey," Veronica said. "What took you so long?"

I shrugged. "Feels good," I lied. Inside, I was cold.

"Neat," Veronica said, totally uninterested in what I had to say. Some wife she was. 

Veronica swam to the shallow end and swam around with Rose. Scotty was busy splashing around in the deep with me.

I went under again.

I closed my eyes and then opened them. I was used to the cold by now.

I paddled my arms in front of me till I reached the other side of the pool. I came up, taking in lots of air before I went back under.

It was so relaxing. I almost forgot that I was in the future and this wasn't my body. She wasn't my wife. Those weren't my kids. But as much as I did want to forget it all, I tried not to. It was great to not think about it for a moment though.

I went under again. Came up.

"Dad, is that all you're going to do?" Scotty asked. I shook my head and went under again.

By this time, my legs were sore and my arms hurt. I got out and tried to dry off.

I sat in a chair in front of the stairs to the pool.

"Jim did another cool styling job? Oh, wow!" "Linda" cried. "I wish Ken was creative. I always have to get him to say I love you."

"Yes," Teresa said. "Isn't Jim the greatest guy?"

"He reminds me of Jake," Linda observed.

My heart thudded in my chest and a pain rippled through.

"Sweet, caring, nice," Teresa said.

"Great…"

"Yeeaaahhh…"

I smiled. Rose didn't notice I was behind her.

"Where's Ken?" Teresa wondered.

"Oh no!" Linda cried.

"What?"

"He's been captured by Scotty the Evil…Oh NO!"

"We must save him…transform into Sailor Chicken Nugget!"

"You too. Sailor TV!"

The Barbies transformed.

"Okay, now we can save him," Sailor Chicken Nugget said.

"Right, Linda…er, I mean, Sailor Chicken Nugget," Sailor TV said. "Let's go!"

The Sailor Barbies flew over to where Scotty the Evil was holding Ken hostage and I looked up.

Veronica stood there, sunlight gleaming in her hair…

__

No, nononononono!

"Hey," Veronica said. "Haven't got time alone, have we?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so."

She nodded. "Right, right, right." She looked away.

Two people were entering the pool now. A young man and woman.

"Whoa. Suddenly, I'm jealous," Veronica said. 

I felt hurt.

"What?" I said, acting like I didn't know.

"What _what?_" Veronica asked. "Why did you say 'what?'"

I shrugged. "You're jealous, remember?"

Veronica frowned. "I was only kidding, Jake. You need to learn to take a joke."

"It wasn't a joke," I argued. "You looked at that guy and girl and said, 'Whoa. Suddenly, I'm jealous.' I knew you think that guys better looking than I am."

Veronica shrugged. "He is, okay?"

"He is? What kind of a comment is that, Veronica? You're not even my real wife."

Veronica gasped. "Jake, what _has_ gotten into you? You're all so mean today."

"Veronica," I said. "I'm sick of the way you're treating me. I'm very sick of the way you're treating me. You're so snappish all the time and quick tempered all the time. You need to stop it or you'll find yourself raising two kids alone."

I got up and went out the gate up to our room. Veronica got out Scotty and Rose and they came up.

As soon as they all dressed again, Scotty and Rose went off to watch TV. Veronica and I stepped outside.

"What do you mean I'll be raising two kids alone?" Veronica hissed as we sat on the bench on the balcony.

"I mean what I said," I said simply. "Alone. Minus me."

"You can't do this us," Veronica said. "You can't. They both look up to you."

"Then they can start looking up to me three times a week," I snapped. I collected myself again. I was getting over the line. "This doesn't mean divorce, Veronica. I just want to find Cassie."

"You never wanted to find Cassie before," Veronica said. "You left her for me in high school, remember? You thought I was beautiful."

"I would never do that," I said. "I'm not like that. You're lying."

"I'm _lying?_" Veronica said, raising her voice. "I am most certainly not lying, Jake. You better watch what you say."

"Why, I might hurt your feeling!" I said, gasping in mock horror. "You need to watch what you say or what I say will come true."

Veronica looked across the water and then to the setting sun. "I'm sorry, Jake. Sorry that you go over the line too much. Sorry that you aren't the loving husband and father you used to be."

"That was uncalled for!" I said. "You didn't have to say that, Veronica. You can think things and not say them. That'll get you in trouble some day."

"It already has," Veronica said quietly. "It got me you as a husband."

Oooh. She threw it back at me as much as I threw it at her. "That's the thing you need to work on."

"What? Not talking to people?"

"No," I said. "A little honesty is a good thing. A lot of honesty isn't."

Veronica thought about this a moment. "You know, for about twenty something, you seem about forty or fifty. I mean, hello? Granpa? Need a hearing aid? I'm not too honest. I just voice my opinion –"

"Too much," I interjected. "You do."

"Well," Veronica said. She knew she was beat. She knew she couldn't beat me. She kept that fading smirk look on her face.

"I know this may hurt your feeling," I began gently.

"Then don't say it," Veronica said, on the verge of tears. "Don't say it at all."

I sighed. "Veronica, I don't love you anymore. Cassie is my girl."

"_CASSIE?!_" Veronica exploded. "Cassie? You like Cassie? As in dull farm girl Cassie? As in peace, love and everything save every creature on earth Animorph Cassie? As in I'm an idiot and I don't deserve such a great person as Jake Cassie? As in stupid idiotic photographer Cassie, not good enough to be a vet, not good enough to do anything, depressed all the time Cassie?"

"Yeah, that one."

"I can't believe this, Jake," Veronica said to herself. "I can't believe this."

"Life isn't always what you want," I said. "Welcome to the real world, Ronnie."

Veronica smiled as a tear fell down her face and the sun went down and the ocean looked beautiful and weird at the same time. "You haven't called me Ronnie in years," she sniffed. "It just goes to show how much your work has gotten in the way of our family."

"It's okay," I said as Veronica began to cry. _Selfish, _I thought. "Everything's all right. I'm not leaving. Not yet, anyway. I do still love you. That was way too over the line. I just need to find Cassie for a couple of days. Let you cool off. Okay?"

"Okay," Veronica said, sniffing and nodded. "Okay." 

I smiled. I'd only said that to keep her happy.

"I love you Jake," Veronica whispered as she leaned over and put her head on my shoulder.

"I love you too, Veronica," I said. _Who am I, Archie?_

We sat there a moment.

"MOMMY!" cried Rose, running out. "I want to watch the new Maria Spears video on Disney! But Scotty won't let me."

I looked at Veronica. "Maria who?"

"Maria Spears," Rose said, rolling her eyes like I was the Universal Idiot or something. "_Who_ is Maria Spears? You are so…ugh! I cannot believe you, of all people, Daddy, do not know who Maria Spears is!"

"But who is she though?" I asked.

"Britney Spears's daughter," Veronica explained. "Rose's favorite singer."

"I need to Mommy," Rose complained. "I just…I just need to."

"SCOTTY!" Veronica cried. "Let your sister –"

"Come one crybaby. It's on."

Rose ran back inside, a delighted look across her face. As soon as the door closed, Veronica snuggled close to me. "Oh, Jake," she whispered. "I never want this evening to end."

"Me neither," I said.

"Moooooommmmmmeeeeee!" Rose screamed. "It just came on and you _got_ to see it. You just have to. It's the best Maria video yet."

Veronica rolled her eyes and I followed her inside.

As I closed the door, Rose shushed me and I looked at the screen.

A young girl, maybe no more than fifteen, stood on the screen, jumping around in this weird room. 

"Oh, I love you, but you don't love me, I feel so sad, can't you see? Oh, you don't love me, what can I do? Only think about…about you!" 

__

Gee, I thought. _Most interesting, best lyrics to come around in a long time._

"Ooooh…yeah! Ooooh…yeah! I'm driven crazy from you, I can't sleep at night, what am I to do? I gaze at your picture as I sleep at night, it makes the darkness feel so bright, oh! Do you need me now…that I am gone, do I need you so, answer me somehow…Oh, I love you, but you don't love me, I feel so sad, can't you see? Oh, you don't love me, what can I do? Only think about…about you!"

I rolled my eyes. This was Rose's role model? Some little teenager with a weak voice?

"Wow," Scotty said as Maria did a split and hung in mid air for a moment. His eyes were sparkling. "Oh, wow."

"Yeah!" Rose said. "Isn't this great? She looks so cool in that. Sheila told me the other day Maria got that outfit at Wal-Mart. Of course, I didn't believe her at the time. She said she heard she got it from Wal-Mart, but I didn't know…"

"Cool," Scotty said. Scotty looked in Heaven.

"Yeeeah! Yeah!" the music video ended with them jumping around and making weird noises.

"That was too cool," Rose said. "Huh, Scotty? Scotty? Scotty?"

"Maria, Maria, Maria…" Scotty said. "Huh? Did you say something Rose?"

Rose giggled. "Silly," she said.

I rolled my eyes again.

"Come on," Rose said. "Aren't we going out for dinner?"

"Sure are," Veronica said. "You two go get cleaned up."

Scotty and Rose ran to the bathroom at the same time, pushing and shoving. I could hear their little voices echoing from inside. "Don't use the little soap, Scotty. It's too pretty."

"You ready?" Veronica said, interrupting my thoughts. 

I looked up. "Huh? Oh. Oh, yeah."

Veronica got on her concerned look and lead me by the arm outside. She signaled me to sit on the bench.

"Is something wrong?" Veronica asked, sitting beside me. She took my hand and I resisted the urge to yank it away. "You seem out of place…Is there anything wrong?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine," I lied. "Very much fine."

She gave me the Look. "Jake, I've known you for too long," she said. "I know when you are lying."

I felt my heart race a bit. My mouth went dry and a rippled of fear swept through my chest. "No! No!" I said too loudly. "I mean, I'm fine. I'm cool. I'm fine. Nothing wrong with me. Nope. Just dandy."

"What's wrong? Is the vacation? Is that it? Did you not want to go?"

"It's not that," I lied again. "Okay, I admit. I am a bit tired…"

"You can stay here," Veronica offered. "We'll be better off without you. You know, since you're feeling sick and all."

"Not sick really," I said. "Tired."

She smiled. "Hectic week, huh? Coming in at around five every morning can get you tired."

"Five? I get off of work at five every morning?" I said. "I didn't…I mean, I knew that, I just didn't know the time…FIVE? Whoa…"

She giggled. "Yeah. Five."

"Man. No wonder my mind hasn't been where it was supposed to. I've been kinda stupid today. Imagine me, wanting to find Cassie! Why did she pop in my mind? I hate her, actually." It hurt me to say that. But it made Veronica happy.

"I know," Veronica said gently. "I've been looking forward to spending time with you."

"Ready," Scotty cried. "Come on!"

I looked at her and signaled her to get up. I opened the door. "Ladies first."

"Now there is my old Jake." Veronica grinned.

We locked the door and I stuffed the keys in my pocket. We all (minus Scotty) hurried down the narrow carpeted steps and got in the car.

As I drove out, Scotty asked where we were eating. I looked at Veronica. Veronica told me to look at the road.

"That didn't cross my –"

"A casino," Veronica interrupted. "We're eating at a casino. I know where it is. I'll tell you Jake, since you have no idea where you were eating. You're stupid today."

She meant as a joke really, but it still kinda hurt.

"Okay, past there," Veronica instructed as we neared it. "Turn there and look for a parking place. Should be one around here somewhere."

I stopped the perfect spot resting there. I looked to see if any daredevil drivers were going to try to take it from me. Not from the looks of it.

"Oh, there's one," Veronica said.

__

Duh, I thought.

I parked and we got out. Turns out someone actually _did_ want our parking place.

We got out and walked up the large casino building. The stars twinkled in the night sky. I wished we had stayed home.

We got in and asked for directions. We went through the gambling place. I couldn't think of the name right then.

"Okay," Veronica said as we stopped. "He said up the escalator, right?"

"Uh-huh," I said, nodding. "Right here."

Scotty made a face as we got on. "We can't get sucked under with the step, can we?"

We rode the escalator up the another floor, visible from where we had previously been standing.

"Follow along there," Veronica said. I did what she said.

We finally got past all the gambling and heard a person scream. Veronica said he had won.

We paid and went to sit down.

"Buffet," Scotty said. "Oooh…seafood buffet…almost better than Maria Spears!"

"Yeah," Rose said quickly. "I'm hungry."

The waitress came up. I told her we'd have two cokes and two sprites.

Then we went to get our plates. I wasn't hungry.

I got lots of shrimp and some mushrooms and some seafood gumbo. It looked pretty good. 

I was the first to sit down. Our drinks arrived as I sat.

"Thanks," I said, taking mine. I took my spoon and spooned a mouthful of gumbo into my mouth.

I swallowed and it felt sick going down. I felt like I'd puke. It kept rising and falling like some weird musical beat.

I sucked down coke. It, at least, kept it down for a moment.

Veronica and the kids sat down a moment later. "Here are our drinks," Veronica said. "Mmm, doesn't this look good, kids? Jake?"

I nodded as my throat burned from my almost puking episode. I was not going to eat anymore.

I shrugged to myself and tried to eat shrimp. It felt sick too. Like I was really full and didn't want anymore food. I didn't. I wasn't hungry to begin with. All the clanking plates, noises, crowds and aroma of the buffet made me want to hurl even more.

"Jake?" Veronica asked. "Something wrong?"

I shook my head and drank some drink.

"Mmmm." Veronica. "Oh, good."

What was wrong with me?_ Nervous,_ I thought. _I'm nervous. How long had I been here? Was time stopped or keep continuing? _

"Best shrimp," Scotty said. 

I felt a tingling, choking, burning sensation in my throat. The hurl had risen!

I started tapping my feet on the floor as I drank down some more coke and tried to eat. My feet tapped harder on the soft carpet. Harder still.

I propped my feet on my leg and ended up wiggling it all around. I couldn't sit still. The crowd made me nervous for some reason.

I wasn't always nervous. I was anxious almost. Anxious, like I didn't turn in something on time that day at school and I'd lay awake at night, tossing and turning because I didn't turn that thing in.

That was my feeling now.

"Jake," Veronica said as the corners of her mouth going down. "Stop twitching every minute or so. Be still. You're rocking the table."

"Sorry," I said as I tried to eat. No use. My appetite was completely gone.

"Eat," Veronica urged. "Come on, Jake. It's good."

"I'm not very hungry," I muttered.

"Oh!" Veronica looked annoyed. "I _told_ you to stay at home! But would you listen. No, no."

"Veronica…" I warned. "I'm okay. I'm just not in the mood for anything."

"Jake," Veronica said. "Let us finish. We'll hurry up, okay? But you are being selfish."

"Veronica! I'm nervous, I'm jittery and I don't feel like sitting in a big crowd as they watch me eat." I picked up my spoon. "Look, see? Look. I'm eating. Oh. Soooo good." I began to shove food in.

"Jake," Veronica said, her voice low. "People are staring."

"Let them stare," I said, but it sounded more like, "Woma wack hwa."

Veronica rolled her eyes. "Well, at least wipe your mouth." Veronica handed me a napkin. "It's the least you can do."

I swallowed. I was still feeling a bit nervous and sick.

__

Was I in the right time? Was this even my family? Was I stuck in morph?

The thoughts popped into my mind suddenly. I'd tried to push them away, but it wasn't working.

"I'm done," Scotty announced, pushing back his plate. He looked at it. "A little more shrimp." He took off.

Rose smiled. "I was hungry, but not anymore."

Veronica pushed her plate back. "I'm not done yet. I'm getting some more gumbo."

She headed in the direction of the sickening food smells.

"Looks like it's just me and you," Rose said.

I nodded.

"Is something the matter Daddy?" Rose asked. "Is anything the matter?"

"No," I answered. "Nothing's wrong, sweetie."

"Good," Rose said. "Because I love you and Mommy and I don't want you to fight anymore."

"Here we go," Veronica said as her and Scotty sat down. "This'll be it for me."

"Me too!"

They began to eat and I turned away. 

People stood there, waiting for a table, to pay and someone caught my eye. Someone who looked aged just like I did.

It was…Tom.

Tom was here. If you asked me, it was too much of a coincidence two brothers happen to be at the same casino, eating at the same night and at the same time.

He caught my eye.

He paid quickly and him and a blonde headed girl walked over.

"Hey, Jake," Tom said as he and the blonde walked over by our table. "I'd like you to meet my new girlfriend, Tiffany."

Veronica gasped. "Tiffany?"

"Veronica! We went to school together."

"Great!" Tom said, beaming. "Glad everyone knows everyone."

"Yeah," I said. "Great."

"Something the matter?" Tom asked. He sounded creepy, but that could have just been me. 

"I'm just a bit tired," I explained.

"Ah," he said too brightly. "Doctor keeps you on your toes."

"He's a Metallurgical Technician," Tiffany said in an air head voice. "Isn't that a funny name? Metallurgical?"

"Sure is," Veronica said. "What do you do for a work?"

"I'm going to college to be a nurse," Tiffany said and then giggled.

I thought a word I won't repeat.

"Cool," I said, nodding. "Good job choice."

"I thought so…"

"So," Veronica said. "What does a Metallurgical Technician do anyway?"

"Oh," Tom said. "A Metallurgical Technician tests metal and minerals to find out about them and all. Ocean type of job, you know."

I nodded. I had absolutely no idea what he meant.

"Yeah," Tiffany said. "We gotta go and eat."

"Hey, stop by the place we're staying," Veronica said and told her.

"We're staying down here too," Tiffany said in her annoying little voice. "We'll like, stop by."

"Cool," Veronica said. "Bye!"

"Bye!"

The air head attack was over. I was thankful I lived.

"Come on," Veronica said. We got up and I tried not to bump into the table behind me.

We got on the escalator.

"Ugh," Scotty said. "Scary…almost over…almost…yeah."

We stopped off and left.

The air of night was kind of cool. It was all the ocean air.

"Tiffany seems like a nice girl," I said, just to hear the sound of my own voice. Seriously, I didn't feel like talking. Too much was on my mind.

"She is," Veronica said, nodding. "Very nice. We were in the same class a lot. Good friends."

"Has Tom ever had a girlfriend before?"

"No," Veronica answered flatly. "First time since he was younger. I feel happy that he met someone."

"Me too," I agreed.

I found our car parked in our great parking place and wondered if that person still wanted it and or not.

Got in. Drove off.

I turned on the radio. Maria was on. The lights along the road along the beach shined in my eyes. I was miserable. 

"I love this song," Rose said as Maria sang her brilliant lyrics.

"So," Veronica said. "Was that enjoyable?"

"Uh-huh!" the kids agreed.

I considered asking them to be quiet. I wasn't exactly that used to driving yet.

"We'll have to do this again pretty soon," Veronica said. "I'm really enjoying myself. Great to get away from it all and just…get away."

"Here we are," I said as I pulled in. I got out and marched up to our room and opened it up. Laid down on the bed.

I picked up the remote and flipped channels. Nothing…nothing…

"Jake," Veronica said. She closed the door as the kids came in. "Wanna to go outside on the balcony?"

"In a minute," I said.

I chose a channel. The Simpsons were on.

"This still comes on?" I said.

"Yeah," Scotty said, sitting down on the bed with Rose.

"Come on," Veronica prodded.

I rolled my eyes and flipped off the TV.

"Come on…"

We all went outside.

I could hear the water out on the beach as I sat on the bench. Scotty and Rose sat on chairs.

"Lovely," Veronica said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "Just lovely."

A light distantly blinked across the never-ending dark blue/black water. Cars went down past us below. Stars twinkled in the night sky. More cars whizzed by below us. One with the music cranked up loud.

"Even if it is a bit noisy," Veronica said. "It's romantic."

"Yeeaah," Rose said with a sigh. "So…nice and peaceful."

And after gazing and talking for a bit, we went inside and went to bed.

I woke up earlier than I had expected. Five.

It was raining outside. I'd had enough.

I got dressed and then dug through Ron's purse for a pen and a piece of paper. Success. There they were.

I thought about my words and chose them very carefully.

I wrote:

Dear Veronica and kids,

Hi. I'm sorry this is so…sudden, but I couldn't take it any longer. I'm sorry. I have left. I'll be back someday, yes. I'm going to find Cassie. It's killing me not knowing she's all right or where she really is and all. I'll write all the time. I'm sorry I'm leaving you all alone to raise two kids, Veronica. I didn't mean for these things to happen. They just do sometimes and we can't stop the urges we know are right inside of us, so I decided to find her. I have no money and no way to get there, so don't think I stole anything. I haven't taken the car, so it's till outside there. I love you Rose, even if Maria Spears is a bit annoying. I love you too Scotty. You're the man of the house now, so it's up to you to take care of your mom and sister. I love you all and I can't apologize enough for this. It would take millions of years before I could ever be sorry. If I never, ever return, don't keep waiting. Pray. Because somewhere, someday, I'll return, okay? I'm sorry things are like this and I know it'll tear all of you apart and ruin your lives forever. Blame me. Don't ever blame your self for the things I've done. Blame me. I'm the one who has left. I love you all…

Yours truly, forever and always,

Prince Jake

I though the Prince Jake part gave it class. It wanted it to have class. I actually hate being called Prince Jake, but no one else would know that, so they would know I wasn't kidnapped.

I felt horrible for leaving, though.

Even though has this was a dream, I knew that, I felt horrible. I felt my throat tighten and I felt a lump in it and tears in my eyes. I put the note where I knew Veronica would see it.

I felt simply horrible. Horrible for leaving her and the kids, horrible because they'd wake up and find their Dad missing, not knowing where he was. It would tear me apart if one of my parents up and left during the night.

It would tears them apart too. But I couldn't help that.

You wouldn't know how far the airport is from the place I was staying at. Far. I mean far with a capital "FAR." F-a-r. Far.

It took me around two hours to get there, running and hitching rides from various people.

I was in the car with a woman. She said she was going to the airport too.

"So," she said. "I recognize your face."

"I'm Jake," I said. "I'm an Animorph."

She gasped so hard I thought she'd stop the car. "Jake the Animorph? Oh, wow!"

"Sure am," I said, feeling kinda proud.

"Wow," she said again. "Can't believe it. I mean, when I was younger and you were younger, I saw you in tiger morph down at the Yeerk pool. I thought that was pretty cool. I was around twenty then. I was a Controller then, though. I knew it was so cool. But imagine, Jake, the Animorph, in my very own car. It's an honor Mr. Jake sir, a real honor."

"You're a fan of war?"

"A fan? Obsessed more like it. I always watched the news to see the development on the Yeerk wars and stuff and I was so excited. I thought it was so neat. I always thought it was neat."

"I did too," I said. I didn't know what she was talking about.

"Read the book on you Animorphs so many times…I almost memorized it."

I nodded. "Is the book cool?"

"700 pages of pure Animorph action. It's my favorite, besides all of your personal biographies and all the books Tobias writes. It's so…neat to have you in my car. Wait till my friends find out. Can I have you…autograph?"

"Sure," I said. I signed a piece of paper.

"OH!" She cried. "This has to be the happiest day of my life. Just has to be. It's such a great experience to have you in my car, Mr. Jake, sir. I just loved the last part of the book. When you and Veronica married. It was so romantic. I didn't feel sorry for Cassie though. There's been a rumor going around in the newspapers that Cassie died not too long ago. Of course, I don't believe it, since she was on the news three days ago. I taped it, naturally. She mentioned she didn't miss being an Animorph, she missed Jake and she missed home, but she never mentioned the book or how much she wanted the camera out of her face or how bad she looked on TV."

"Here we are," I interrupted.

She pulled in, talking a mile a minute. 

"This is so great, Jake. Thank you for the autograph. I love it. I'll treasure it forever. I'm going to frame when I get home. Oh, imagine. Jake was in my car."

She drove off a moment later, leaving me standing there, all alone in the big, huge airport.

I came up to a woman.

"Do you know if any flights leave for Africa?" I asked her.

She checked. "Next hour."

I nodded. "Which plane?"

She told me the plane. I decided to sit down.

She ignore me after that. Good. I needed her to do that if I was going to sneak on board in morph. But in what morph? Fly? Cockroach? Something that won't be killed? What?

"Oh, Gigi, sit still," a woman said to a small little poodle in a plastic cage. "You're wiggling too much. Yes, I know you're nervous."

"Ma'am?"

She looked up. "Yes?"

"What flight are you getting on?"

She told me. It wasn't Africa, is all I can say.

"Can I see Gigi?" I asked.

"Sure," the woman replied. "She likes company."

"Hey," I said gently to the poodle in the cage. She growled. "Hey. Don't worry. I don't bite. Hopefully, neither do you."

I opened the cage. Gigi reached out and tried to bite me. I glanced at the woman. She was busy with a magazine.

I grabbed Gigi by the neck and began to acquire her DNA. She relaxed some, like all animals do when you acquire them.

I shut the cage before she could try to bite me again.

"Here you go," I said, handing it back to her. "Nice poodle you have there. I like poodles."

I checked the clock. I had forty-five minutes to go.

"Thank you," she said. "Gigi just loves for people to pet her. She's so sweet, you know."

"Yes, I know," I lied. "I have one at home named…Sandy. She's nice all the time to my kids. It's my wife's dog, but we all kind of share him."

"You know," the woman said, looking back. "I used to have a cat. Guess what the dog I had at the time did with it?"

"Killed it?"

The woman nodded. "I came home and fur and blood were everywhere. I quickly got rid of him, though. I went and got Gigi and that was that."

I glanced again. Thirty minutes.

"I had another dog besides Sandy once," I said. I didn't really have a poodle named Sandy. "Homer, it was, I think it was. Nice old dog. Don't remember what ever happened to him, though."

"When I was a little girl," she said. "My mom brought home a puppy for us. We loved that puppy so much."

"Did anything happen to it?"

"Died of old age, it did. His name was Jim, after my father who worked in another country at the time. He was thrilled a dog was named after him."

"He was?" I asked.

"Yes. I was so sad when Jim died, the dog I mean. We were all heartbroken."

Another look at the clock. The clock got faster, faster, faster! It was twenty minutes till.

"Are you vacationing?" the woman asked suddenly, changing the subject.

"Yeah," I said. "I have someone in Africa I have to see. Girlfriend."

"Girlfriend? You do? You're married, though."

I felt my heart pound. "I am. Marriage trouble. Maybe divorce."

"Oh," she said. "I'm sorry you and your wife are having troubles."

"It's okay," I said. "Maybe a vacation will even things out."

"Hope so."

I waited a minute till I found out my flight left in five minutes.

Five minutes to morph and get over there.

I ran into a bathroom. I focused on the dog. Changes began. My face bulged out and my nose got wet and small. My eyes got smaller. My ears went all weird and went into poodle ears.

My hands shriveled to little poodle paws. A tail slipped out my butt.

And, in all my beauty, I stood there, a full poodle.

No time was to lose. I jumped forward and pawed on the door till it swung open and hit the wall.

I ran on the tile floor as fast as I could with my little feet clicked on the tile. I ran faster and went out.

My flight…my flight…there!

My kicked up my heels and went the speed of light toward it. 

Only one problem though. I couldn't get on. 

I looked. There. Luggage and cargo and stuff was loading up. I wondered…

No time to wonder then. I ran fast to the luggage and climbed on. The man didn't even see me as cargo and everything went up and then, I felt proud and the mission was accomplished.

I hid for a long time, morphing and remorphing and demorphing and all that type of thing. It was a long ride from here to Africa. A long ride.

I didn't know how many hours I'd been on the plane. Four, maybe five hours I'd been flying that luggage place. A little poodle cramped I between a large box and a small thin one. It was tight fit, even for my little poodle body. My poodle mind was getting agitated. My left leg was getting sore from my position.

Jake, I told myself. We gotta get you out of here.

I, as carefully as I could, squeezed through the suitcases and tried not to trip on the large strap hanging out of a box I was about to trip on if I didn't watch out. 

I am outta here! I cried, whining a bit, because I did trip on that large strap. I got back up and gained momentum again.

Clunk, clunk, clunk. I froze. I listened again. Clunk, clunk, clunk. Yep. The sound was very familiar. The sound of shoes on a metal floor.

I began to look in the dark luggage room for a place to hide.

"Yeah," someone said.

I froze again. 

"Are you sure?"

"I am. I saw a dog. Poodle, I think."

I gasped the way a poodle would gasp.

"Yeah, right, Jim. Was he in a cage? Yeaaah, he'd be in a cage."

"Free. Running around like he owned the place. When I was loading luggage up, I happen to see him."

Crrrreeeaaakkkkk.

In the dark, I saw the hatch swing open and two guys drop in.

A beam of light flashed in. It flashed right before my paws.

"Uh-huh," someone said. "Now, tell me, where is your poodle?"

"Give me that." There was a sound, kinda like they were fighting or something.

"Now that _I_ have the flashlight," another someone said. "Let me look."

Light flashed everywhere.

It was coming in my direction!

I jumped back, causing the boxes to tumble in front of me.

"Ha!"

I gasped again. I backed up against the wall. A beam of light sliced through the small opening in between the boxes and into my eyes. I turned away.

"There! See it! Right there!"

"What if it's, I don't know, vicious or something?"

"Oh, shut up," cried a voice. "Get it!"

The two guys walked up to me. I growled and tried to look like a vicious type poodle.

"It _is_ vicious. It's gonna bite me if I get too close, I think."

"Stop being such a baby. It's just a dog."

I growled and showed my teeth. I barked.

"Whoa. He's mad."

"Mad as in 'mad dog?' Or as in 'he's mad now because of something…?'"

"As in angry mad."

"Ohhhhh…"

I growled and barked and looked like I was going to bite one them. They backed up.

"Just. Give. Me. That. Belt. Right. There."

"Oh. Okay."

A belt? They had a belt.

"Ya! Ya! Back, dog, back!" the man cried, waving the belt around wildly.

I whimpered a bit and backed up. I made a small noise.

"Good, you scared it," one man whispered.

"I know," Mr. Belt said back, waving it around a bit more. "Back, you savage beast. Get a cage."

I went at him a bit more.

He waved the belt a around a bit more, till–

"Yipe! Yipe!" I cried. My back stung. He hit me! "Mr. Belt" hit me!

That was it. I'm not Rachel. I don't attack people, but this was too far.

"RRRRRAAAAARRRRRR!" I screamed, jumping up.

I leapt on him, knocking him over.

"Ahhhh! Get it off! Get it off!"

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

"You're scream–oh, get him off!"

"I can't. He'll bite me too."

I bared my teeth at the other guy.

"Ahhhh!"

I jumped off Mr. Belt and jumped on the other guy with the cage. He dropped the cage the instant I touched him. I took this as a time to make a quick escape and so I did.

I jumped through the hatch and ran till I got to where all the people taking a ride in the plane were.

I ran past someone. I stopped for a moment to catch my breath.

"Look, Mommy!" squealed a voice. "A doggy!"

"Don't touch it sweetie," the woman I assumed was "Mommy!" said. "It could have germs or fleas or it could bite you."

"But it looks sweet," said the kid. "Just one little pet."

I felt a small hand brush through my fur.

"What did I say? Come on. We need to wash your hands."

As the people got up, I darted.

__

Need a hiding place…now!

I stopped and–

"There he is!"

I stopped breathing. The men!

I ran down the long isle till I came to somewhere I could hide. Turned around and went the other way.

"Get him!"

Huh?

I didn't see it coming.

A hand reached out and seized me.

I whined a bit as the guy stuck his face close to mine and threw me in a cage. "Not so frisky, huh?"

I made my most pitiful doggy face. I whined more. I was caught.

"Go put him back there," Mr. Belt said. 

Who were these men anyway?

"Gentlemen?"

Two men and a dog whirled around to see a pretty flight attendant standing there.

"Hmmm?"

"Is there a problem?"

"No, ma'am," the one with me said. "We just had to get our dog is all. I don't see how he escaped."

I whined. I needed to demorph…now.

"So everything is all right?"

"Fine."

The men turned and walked in the back. And then, I got an idea. It was crazy and it was the kind of thing I fuss at everyone about…

Ma'am! I cried.

The woman stopped.

Ma'am, you gotta help me! I'm trapped in this cage. I'm not this man's dog. He just wants me because I heard him say he was going to…uh…sell me.

"Sell you?"

Actually, neither or them had said that. I didn't know who they were, but they didn't say that.

Yeah. You are the only one who can set me free!

The woman ran up to the men.

"Sir? Excuse me, sir, but…I'll have to take this," she said, taking the cage from him.

"That's my dog, though!"

"I'll put him back," she told them. "You go sit back down."

The two men looked at each other and exchanged eyebrow messages that could only mean to sit down.

They left.

The woman carried me back to the cargo area where all that trouble had began.

She opened the cage and helped me out.

I began to run back to the over turned boxes. Thank you.

From the poor light from the crack along the hatch, I saw tears glisten in her eyes. "You're welcome."

I ran back and waited. A moment later, I was in total silence and in total darkness.

I had demorphed back to human and didn't fool going poodle again. I just slept for a while.

Till I heard something that made my stomach lurch. We were landing. I sat up and rubbed my eyes and ran a hand through my matted hair. My back ached from where I'd been sleeping. My neck hurt too. My whole body was sore from lying there. 

I got up.

The plane was landing and I fell back on my butt. I was wobbly and stupid again this morning.

I waited and waited till–

The cargo was being unloading now.

I went poodle for a last time to escape. As I jumped from the plane, I prayed the people, the men, wouldn't see me. They were no where to be found from the looks of it.

I scampered across the airport and looked around for a car I could jump into.

I saw a man getting into a jeep not too far away. I hurried and leapt in and the man never saw me.

I demorphed in the back.

As we drove out a bit, the man noticed me.

"Ahhhh! Ahhhhh!"

"It's okay!" I cried. "It's okay…I'm a friend. I was wondering…do you know Cassie?"

There wasn't a big chance he knew her. I was just wondering. That wasn't why I was riding with him. I needed to ride a while.

"Cassie? As in Cassie ___? Former Animorph?"

"Yeah."

"Everyone does," he said.

"Where is she then?" I asked.

"Oh, not too far away. It'll take a couple of hours to reach where she should be. She's been taking pictures of lions and stuff like that. She should be back now. It normally takes a day or so, but I'm hoping we'll see her on our way up there."

I nodded and sat back. We'd be riding for a while.

It was an hour before we passed anyone on the road. If you could call it a road.

It was a large jeep like thing, rambling down the dirt road, dust billowing behind it.

"We're lucky," he said. "That's her."

I blinked. Maybe too lucky. I thought I was lucky there was a flight to here. Now it was getting creepy.

He waved his arm to get her attention. She didn't see him at first, but then did, and pulled over to chat.

"Hey, stranger," she laughed. "Who you got with you?"

"Just someone I picked up. Don't know his name yet."

"Cassie?" I cried.

She got the most puzzled look on her face. "Jake?"

"Cassie!"

"Jake!" 

I jumped from the jeep, she jumped from hers and we ran up to each other, hugging. And before I knew it, kissing.

I never wanted to let go, but I had to sometime.

The man started up his jeep again. 

"I'd better head home," he said. "Nice meeting you Jake. See you Cassie."

The jeep, just like that, rambled down the road.

Everything was going by in a blur now. Cassie and I parked and sat there.

It was late afternoon by the time we ran out of things to say. We chatted for hours on end.

It felt great to be next to Cassie.

As the red and orange and other beautiful colored sun went down, she leaned on my shoulder.

"Jake," she whispered. "I never want this to end."

I whispered back, "Neither do I."

"Oh and Jake?"

"What?"

"Jake! Jake! Jake!"

The dream began to fade…fade…fade…

I saw her grown face staring at me, crying, "JAKE!"

I didn't have time to scream Cassie.

I woke up about a second later. Water splashed into my eyes. I blinked and stared at the gray sky till a face blocked my view.

"JAKE! You're alive!"

I rubbed my head. It hurt and I had a major headache.

"You've been out for like, three minutes."

"Three…min…three?"

Three minutes. The dream. It had been about four days there. Was it all a dream?

Or was it some nightmarish reality?

"Oh, man! I thought you were dead," Marco said. He looked around and helped me up. "Come on. It's raining."

Marco and I walked down the sidewalk and I rubbed my head. I had that weird feeling. A creepy, _Unsolved Mysteries_ type scared. The one you could only think of.

Marco had no idea what I had been through. I didn't know if that was the real future or not. But would the real future really be like that?

I thought this over as Marco went on and on about something till and answer finally popped into my mind suddenly.

It was simple. One word: _No._

Authors Note: Thirty pages? Whatever happened to thirty-seven pages? Where did they go? Oh. Did you enjoy the rewrite as much as I enjoyed typing it? I'm sure you did. Well, bye now. My arm is starting to hurt.


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